Decreased GLUT 4 mRNA Levels did not Related with Degree of Hyperglycemia in Skeletal Muscles of Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Rats

In our previous study (Kim et al, 1991), GLUT 4 protein content correlated negatively with plasma glucose levels in skeletal muscles of STZ-induced diabetic rats. Thus, in this study, to confirm whether expression of GLUT 4 correlate negatively with degree of hyperglycemia, we measured levels of GLUT 4 mRNA in red and white gastrocnemius muscles in STZ-induced mild and severe diabetic rats. Rats were randomly assigned to control, mild, and severe diabetic groups, and the diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal administration of STZ. The experiment was carried out 10 days after STZ administration. Gastrocnemius red and white muscles were used fur the measurement of GLUT 4 expression. Plasma glucose levels of mild and severe diabetic rats were increased compared to control rats (control, mild, and severe diabetes; $6.4{\pm}0.32,\;9.4{\pm}0.68,\;and\;22.0{\pm}0.58$ mmol/L, respectively). Plasma insulin levels of mild and severe diabetic rats were decreased compared to control rats (control, mild, and severe diabetes; $198{\pm}37,\;l14{\pm}14,\;and\;90{\pm}15$ pmol/L, respectively). GLUT 4 mRNA levels of gastrocnemius red muscles in mild and severe diabetic rats were decreased compared to control rats ($64{\pm}1.2%\;and\;71{\pm}2.0%$ of control, respectively), but GLUT 4 mRNA levels in gastrocnemius white muscles were unaltered in diabetic rats. In summary, GLUT 4 mRNA levels were decreased in STZ-induced diabetic rats but did not correlated negatively with degree of hyperglycemia, and this result suggest that the regulatory mechanisms of decreased GLUT 4 mRNA levels are hypoinsulinemia and/or other metabolic factor but not hyperglycemia. And regulation of GLUT 4 expression in STZ-induced diabetes between red and white enriched skeletal muscles may be related to a fiber specific gene regulatory mechanism.